Change the culture of infertility

The submitted story by the Ohio Departments of Aging & Job and Family Services (Urbana Daily Citizen, June 9, pages 1, 5) is disturbing. In the next 22 years, “Ohio’s overall population is expected to grow by just 2 percent, while the 60+ population will grow by 40 percent.” But among the many remedies proposed to deal with this gap, the writers do not mention population growth. In 2015 the Ohio birth-rate was 63.1 babies per 1,000 women aged 15-44. That’s well under 10 percent of the childbearing population having children. Also, in 2016 Ohio’s abortion clinics destroyed just under 20,000 unborn babies. The twin effects of contraception and abortion are taking their toll on the elderly, who lack the support of young people. We are in the midst of a crisis.

The true remedy is to change the culture of infertility. In these next 22 years, even raising the birth-rate to 20 percent of the childbearing population would triple births, cutting the disproportion between the young and the elderly to 20 percent. Of course, closing abortion clinics would help only somewhat; young women and their male counterparts need to reject the idea of abortion.

For informative materials about support for pregnant mothers, readers can contact Ohio Right to Life via their website or Champaign County Right to Life (ccrtl1@gmail.com or 653-6745) for constructive ways to reach Ohio’s childbearing population. Voter guides for the November elections and candidates concerned about the youth and elderly crisis will be available and mailed out free.